Draft and buffing apparatus for railway-cars



2 Sheets-Sheet `1.

Y (Model.)

F. W. MARSTON. DRAFT AND BUPFIIIIG APPARATUS- FORRAILWAY` CARS.`Np.1252,115.

Patented'Jan. 10.1882.

` Fig-.2.

s. mma-Langman. wagngm n. c.

(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet?.

P. W. MARSTON. DRAFT AND BUFFING APPARATUS POR RAILWAY GARS.

No. 252,115. Patented Jan. 1'0,1882.v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MARSTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRAFT AND Bul-FING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,115, dated January10, 1852.

Application led August 4, 1880. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, FRANK W. MARSTON, ot' Boston, Massachusetts, haveinvented eertain Improvements in Means of Transmitting Strain-s ofTraction-and Batting to the Frames of Railway-Cars; and I herebydel-lare that the following specification is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, and the accompanying drawings'l are anillustration thereof.`

My improvement relates to apparatus by which traction al and battingstrains in railway ears and trains are exerted upon springs andcontinuous metallic connections thereof rather than through such springsdirectly upon the car-frame.

In place ofthe independent resistance-pieces now commonly in use on theframes of railway-cars, bolted to the draft-timbers and actingv asa-butments t'or the drat't and bufiing ap-4 paratus at each end of thecar, I substitute two continuous resistance-pieces, which extend fromend' lo end of the car and are rnrly bolted or otherwise rigidly securedto the drafttimbers. These continuous resistance-pieces may be madeeachof a single bar ot' metal, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5 or theymay be constructed in two or three sections rigidly 'connected byintermediate rods, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. In either case strains oftraction applied through the draft apparatus are transmitted throughthem from end to end of the car;` and butlng strains are resisted not bythe timbers and bolts alone, `in the usual way, but theresistance-plates are bent around and engage with the ends of thedraft-timbers of the car-frame, which they materially re-enforce.

My improvements are embodied in a carframe provided withA twodraw-heads, each furnished with a traction and bufling spring held inpostionby follower-plates, in combination with metallic bars extendingfrom end to end of the car, rigidly fastened to the drafttimbers, andforming continuous cheek-pieces or resistance-pieces for` the springfollowerplates to bear upon. y

My invention also consists in the devices and combination of devices setforth in the appended claims.

The drawings illustrate my invention and represent the best form inwhich I have contem plated applying it to-utilize to the utmost theexisting structures.

Figsl, 2, and 3 show in plan my improvements and the parts of the bottomframe of a carto which they are applied, Fig. 1 rep'- v `resentiug thenormal condition ot' the springs,

Fig. 2 the springs partially compressed under strains of traction, andFig. 3 the same wholly compressed, as in buttiug. Fig. 4 is a centralsection of Fig. 1 Figs. aud, modicationsin the form of theconnecting-bars, and Figs. 7 and S enlarged perspective views of thesame.

In the several figures, A A are the central sills of the car-frame,carrying the holsters B and needle-beams C. D D are draft-timbers,bolted at each end to the under side ot' the sills A, ot' which theybecome practicallyv a part. Their ends abut against the bolsters B.

With my improvements I secure to the draft-timbers D, by bolts orotherwise, conl tin-nous dat metallic bars E,runui1'1g fromend to end ofthe car, and bent at right angles, as at E', to cover the'ends ofthedraft-timbers D D. Said bars are also provided near each end withflanged plates or shoulders c e, upon which the springplates Gr bear,and are adapted to receive the strains exerted upon the springs inthemovement of the car and transmit them to the draft-timbers, sills,"andbolsters of the frame. They serve, therefore, as continuous orlongitudinally-connected cheekpieces or resistance-plates, receiving andtransmitting strains in the horizontal plane ot the draw-heads, thusrelieving the timbers almost wholly.

Draft and buing strains are exerted primarily upon the draw-heads F,then through the shoulders and keys of the draw-heads upon thespring-plates Gr Gr and springs H, conn'ed between them, and next uponthe flanges-or shoulders e e ofthe resistance-pieces tirmlysecured to orformed integral with the bars EE. These bars may continue straightthrough in the line ot' the sides ofthe draft-timbers D D, as in Figs. 5and 7, and be secured repeatedly to additional draft-timbers J J, boltedto the under side of the sills A between the bolsters; or they may bemade in two or three sections, with a connecting-bar, L, as shown inFigs. 6 and 8, but I prefer to bend the bars E inward] y and join themalong their central parts,

as shown in Figs. l to 4, that they may reenforce each other, andthatthe needle-beams C shall be cut into in but a single place. Theking-bolts K are between the barsE with either construction.

`The action of the parts under the various strains to which they aresubjected will be obvious from ,the drawings. The bars E E', eX- tendingacross the ends of the draft-timbers, carry the strains into themindependent ofthe bolts and serve as additional means ot' attachment tothe frame. They have no longitudinal or other movement 'independent ot'the draft-timbers inany event. g

The draftmechanism at each end is independent of the other end, and itexerts all strains upon the metallic bars E E e, through which suchstrains as are duc tothe inertiaof each ear and its load are distributedto all parts -of the car-frame, while train-strains, or strains due tothe traction of one or more following cars, are borne by the draftapparatus and the continuous resistance-pieces E e without passing intothe sills `or draft-timbers. the rear car of a train, strains ot'traction or bufting would affect only the spring at the attaching end,that at the other end remaining dormant, having no load to pull or push;but tractional strains at the attaching end would be applied bythe barsE El throughout the length of the car-frame.

In the ease of I claim as of my invention- 1. A car-frame provided withdraw-heads, springs, and follower-plates, in combination with twocontinuous metallic resistance-pieces for said follower-plates to bearupon, said resistance-pieces being secured to the inner face ofthedraft-timbers, substantially as set forth.

2. A car-frame provided with independent draft and bufting apparatus ateach end, in combination with metallic resistance-pieces rigidlyconnected or extending continuously from end to end of the sills, andapplied directly to the sides and ends ofthe draft-timbers,substantially as set forth, and for the purposes stated. p

3. The continuous or rigidly-connectedmctallie resistance-pieces E E e,located in the horizontal plane ot' the draw-heads and secured to thesides and ends of the draft-timbers, so as to transmit to them thetractional strains incident to the movement of a single ear, While thetraction of the train is borne by said continuous resistance pieces andthe draft apparatus which they connect, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

A. H. SPENCER, C. G. KEYEs.

